"Current and expectant parents may be interested a few of the many
studies that have been released in recent days as researchers gathered
for the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, the largest
international meeting focused on research in children's health. The
meeting, in Vancouver, British Columbia, ends Tuesday."
Read on and see what they've found:
*****************************
Here are some of the findings presented:
Not all parents are putting their babies 'back to sleep'
Since the early 1990's, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been
recommending parents put their babies on their backs when they sleep to
reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). While the number
of SIDS deaths has gone down, the CDC reports more than 2000 infants under the age of 1 died in 2010 as a result of SIDS.
However, a new study finds that the word hasn't gotten out to
everyone that babies should sleep on their backs. Researchers presented
their data on Saturday. They found that two-thirds of full-term babies
in the United States sleep on their backs and less than half of preemies
are put in what's officially called the supine sleep position (on the
back).
Where you live also makes a difference. The study authors found in
Alabama, only 49.5% of all infants were placed in on their back to
sleep, compared to Wisconsin, which had the highest number at 81.4%.
The goal is to keep babies alive, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics's recommendations to prevent SIDS and other sleep-related deaths call
for supine positioning along with "use of a firm sleep surface,
breastfeeding, room-sharing without bed-sharing, routine immunizations,
consideration of using a pacifier, and avoidance of soft bedding,
overheating, and exposure to tobacco smoke, alcohol, and illicit drugs."
Environmental factors may play a bigger role in autism
The latest statistics from the CDC must be alarming to expectant and
new parents. Six weeks ago, the CDC announced the latest autism
prevalence statistics: 1 in 68 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States.
While the exact cause and causes of ASDs are not known, most experts
agree that autism is a condition that begins before birth, according to
the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Many experts also believe that children with autism have a genetic
predisposition, and that environmental factors can play a role. The
neurodevelopmental disorder can cause significant and chronic social,
communication and behavioral challenges.
Twin studies have shown if one identical twin has autism, there's a
90% chance the other twin will be affected too. However, researchers are
suggesting that the role of genes may much smaller - 50%. More than
2 million families in Sweden were studied; scientists looked at full
siblings, half siblings and even cousins of full siblings.
"Heritability of ASD was estimated to 50%, suggesting that genetic
factors explain half of the risk for autism," according to the study,
published in JAMA on Saturday. "This is considerably lower than the 90%
in earlier twin studies and closer the 38% reported in a recent
California study."
The idea that environmental factors play an important role in autism
has only started to get traction in recent years. Irva Hertz-Picciotto,
who studies environmental factors in autism at the UC Davis MINDS
Institute, told CNN in 2011 that there may be a "somewhat smaller role
for genetics and somewhat larger role for the environment" in the
development of autism, something she hoped would change the emphasis in
the research community.
The researchers in Sweden also conclude that this information may be
helpful to parents who already have a child with autism, and are
considering or concerned about having another child.
Pediatricians can help prevent cavities in baby teeth
Parents may not realize this, but tooth decay is the most common
chronic disease in children aged 6 to 12 in the United States, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC data shows
that about 42% of children as young as 2 and up to age 11 have cavities
in their baby teeth. A study from 2007 found that since the mid-90's,
dental caries (cavities) has been on the rise again, particularly in
young children between ages 2 and 5.
So the The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is updating
its recommendations for preventing caries or tooth decay in children
from birth to age 5. After reviewing the latest research, the panel
recommends pediatricians, who see children at regular wellness visits
anyway, should give:
– babies as young as 6 months of age oral fluoride supplementation,
when there's not enough fluoride in their water supply (that means water
fluoridation levels are below .0.6 parts per million)
– all infants, who have had their baby teeth pop out of their gums,
and children periodic fluoride varnish applications, regardless of
fluoride levels in their water.
However, the USPSTF is not recommending that pediatricians do regular
oral check-ups because pediatricians cannot reliably detect tooth
decay. That's where pediatric dentists come into play. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a so-called dental home be established with every child before his or her first birthday.
Study questions benefit of taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy
When women find out they are pregnant, their doctors will have a lot
of recommendations, including taking a Omega-3 acid, particularly DHA
supplement or fish oil, a fatty acid, to optimize fetal brain and eye
development. There are 20 different edible fatty acids, but the human
body can't produce Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and most pregnant women
probably don't get enough of these nutrients through their diets.
A 2008 study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology concluded
that along with vegetable oils and two servings of seafood per week,
women should get these important Omega-3's from supplements. Now, a
research letter published Saturday in JAMA throws a wrench in that.
Researchers studied pregnant women who were given an 800 mg DHA
supplement or a placebo and their children's' brain development at age 4
(the children had been previously assessed at 18 months). They found
prenatal DHA supplementation did not result in improved cognitive,
problem-solving or language abilities for children at age 4. They even
report, surprisingly, that girls in the DHA group had poorer language
scores than girls in the control group.
"Our data do not support prenatal DHA supplementation to enhance early childhood development," the study authors say.
"I have no reason to doubt their results," says Dr. Mark Klebanoff, a
professor of pediatrics and of obstetrics and gynecology at The Ohio
State University College of Medicine, who specializes in the prevention
of pregnancy complications and has studied the benefits of fish
consumption to prevent another preterm birth (his study did not follow
the children).
"It's not that easy to make up any deficiencies by taking a pill," he says.
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